Thiron-Gardais / Nogent-le-Rotrou

La Véloscénie continues to follow small country roads across the Perche's hills; these do require some effort to climb. As a reward, enjoy the splendid views from their heights. Finally, you pass the Château St-Jean arriving at Nogent-le-Rotrou.

Crossing Thiron-Gardais, be aware of the slope. Otherwise, this stage is marked by varied little country roads. You enter Nogent-le-Rotrou via rather unappealing housing estates before reaching the centre and the station.

Railway station

Nogent-le-Rotrou station : many Express Regional Transport from and to Chartres

Nogent-le-Rotrou is dominated by an impressive rectangular medieval keep, 30m in height. Ramparts with seven towers add to the defences. Built from 11th to 15th centuries, the Château Saint-Jean rises high above the Huisne Valley. Curiously, its security-conscious medieval designers didn't provide any obvious access to the castle from the adjoining town. The situation was rectified at the Renaissance, when a stairway was built, with 155 steps joining the castle to the Le Paty quarter of town.